Empowered Conversations

What if the best chapter of your life is still ahead of you—and you just haven't found the courage to start writing it yet? Kirk McCarley spent 35 years as a Human Resources Executive. Then he launched a coaching business, became a certified spinning instructor, and started working as a production assistant for ESPN, covering college football and basketball . At 68 years old, Kirk is living pr...

There's a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn't come from doing too much. It's the feeling of never quite being settled, even when nothing is technically wrong . Prophet Afolabi Aduroja is a spiritual teacher whose work centers on identifying the underlying causes that keep certain conditions in place across health, relationships, finances, and purpose. His focus is not on surface...

Justin Shaw spent decades trapped in addiction, PTSD, and depression. He was stuck in the American "sickcare" system . Then he had an experience he will never forget—a direct encounter with Source energy that changed everything. Justin is a former stand-up comedian, a Dr. of Divinity, and the creator of the Sourcery 101 system—13 rungs to a higher elevation of consciousness . His book bl...

What if you could prevent your child from needing speech therapy—just by changing the way you interact with them? Jeaneen Tang believes that many children who are identified as needing early intervention speech therapy could be prevented if parents, caregivers, and educators had more training on simple, effective strategies . Jeaneen is a speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experienc...

Dennis Quinn spent 13 years as a mentor to a young man named Mike—a boy who had been bounced in and out of foster care. Their journey ended when the mental illness that appeared when Mike hit puberty led him to take his own life at age 20. Out of that heartbreak, Dennis wrote Stick Figures: A Big Brother Remembers, a memoir honoring Mike's legacy and giving a voice to at-risk children in need...

Have you ever achieved everything you set out to achieve—and still felt empty? Maybe you've climbed the ladder, checked the boxes, and reached the goals. On paper, you're successful. But inside, you're exhausted. Overwhelmed. Running on empty. Dr. Cynthia Coy is the Founder and CEO of Uncaged Solutions, a leadership development and executive coaching firm helping high-achieving women m...

For years, Amy Lou Jenkins mistook compliance for kindness and silence for respect. The world told her voice was too much—too direct, too emotional, too alive—and she believed it. Then she started walking in the woods with her son, writing down what she saw and felt. And the natural world began telling her a different story . Amy Lou Jenkins is an award-winning, best-selling author, teacher, and a...

What if everything you've been taught about faith is wrong? What if the pressure to be perfect, to have it all together, to smile through the pain—is actually keeping you from the very healing you're desperate for? Jeff Dalton has been rejected by churches, told he wasn't good enough, and even told he couldn't preach because of his bipolar disorder. He's experienced the dark si...

What if the secret to building a lasting legacy wasn't just about how much money you make—but about how well you align your purpose, your finances, and your life? Albert Butler is a CPA, MBA, author, and creator of the Legacy Alignment System. He's been recognized as a Forbes Best-In-State CPA, featured in Yahoo Finance, and honored by Marquis Who's Who for his leadership in accounting...

We live in a world that's more connected than ever—and yet, more divided than ever. In our workplaces, our communities, and our lives, we're surrounded by people from different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. But connection doesn't happen automatically. It takes intention, skill, and courage to build bridges across the divides that separate us. Mathias Lemos Castillo is a dyna...

He spent two decades in corporate finance, building a $2B fund administration firm and helping launch a $14B business unit at Bank of America. Then he lost his job in March 2020 and bought a struggling cleaning company. Instead of cutting costs, he treated his team with dignity—and grew the business from $1.6M to $4M in two years. Todd Krause is a CPA, MBA, TEDx speaker, and founder of Silversun C...

Imagine being a fifth-generation Thai Sikh, born and raised in Bangkok, carrying Indian blood but Thai mannerisms—belonging to two worlds but fully accepted by neither . Now imagine finding your voice through music against all odds—and building a life and career as an independent artist in New York City. Kneet is a global independent artist, singer-songwriter, advocate, and founder of Protect Chil...

She became a relationship expert the day her four-year-old daughter whispered, "Mommy, please make the arguing stop." That moment cracked her open and sent her on a 20-year journey to understand why good people end up in painful marriages—and how to help them find clarity. Veronica L. Nabizadeh, Esq. is The Battle-Weary Wife Whisperer—an author, attorney, Supreme Court Certified Florida...

He spent 38 years at IBM in leadership positions. Then his family's struggle with addiction led him to leave the business world and found a new ministry to help others. Steve Ward is the founder and Executive Director of STEPS Ministries, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people improve their lives, grow closer to God, and prevent addiction. He's the author of STEPS: A Daily Journey to a Be...

She grew up in poverty, experienced abuse, and became a teen mom at 16. She had to learn how to read people, stay aware, and make decisions without a safety net. For a long time, she thought those experiences meant she was behind. Today, Misty Carson is a Business Development Executive and the CEO of The Unbreakable Advantage Institute. She's learned that the hardest seasons of our lives don&#...

Approximately 50% of people have divorced parents. And unfortunately, it's likely that half of those individuals have already divorced themselves—and don't know the real reasons why. Kent Darcie is a Licensed Professional Counselor, founder of Adults with Divorced Parents Ministries, and author of Choose a Better Path: Overcoming the Impact of Your Parents' Divorce. His parents divorce...

He was left in an orphanage at just three days old. He was adopted 16 months later. And he built a 40+ year career as a lawyer, police executive, and leader on the front lines of one of America's most violent cities. Pat Welsh is a retired Superintendent of the Dayton, Ohio Police Department, a nationally recognized speaker, and creator of the Warrior, Servant, Leader Mindset. He blends battle...

He served 33 years in the U.S. Army, rising to Lieutenant Colonel, with combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. He faced leadership challenges in the world's most volatile environments. But his battles didn't start in uniform—they started in a childhood marked by trauma and chaos. Kenneth Webb is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, combat veteran, former American Airlines emplo...

When their son Miles underwent brain surgery at just six years old, Constance Lewis and her husband Andre faced a challenge they never expected. Their son had trouble finding the words to express his emotions. So they created a simple, powerful tool: color-coded capes that gave Miles a way to communicate how he was feeling without words. Miles and the Colorful Capes of Feelings was born from that...

Too many people accept pain, medications, and lack of movement as a normal part of aging. But it doesn't have to be that way. Dr. Michael Guadagnino III is a chiropractic physician with over 30 years of clinical experience, a lifelong health advocate, and author of the bestselling book Fitness Over 50, 60, 70 & Beyond. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and has trained in martial ar...

He had tongue cancer. Twice. They took his tongue. He says, "I can't talk about it!" But he's still teaching, still writing, still helping people understand God in fresh, funny, and deeply meaningful ways. Dr. Gerald Robison—affectionately known as Dr. G—has pastored churches on three continents, trained Bible teachers in over 25 countries, and authored award-winning books. He us...

She's a worm advocate, sprout grower, and laughter yoga teacher. She calls herself "Cathy Crawly Laughing Bean Queen." And she's on a mission to help you live a happier, healthier, more sustainable life. Cathy Nesbitt is a multi-award-winning environmental innovator and Health & Wellness Advocate. She founded Cathy's Crawly Composters, Cathy's Sprouters, and Cathy&#39...

She spent 30 years binge eating in secret. She stole food, ate off others' plates, and scavenged out of the trash. Then one night, on TV, she heard the words "compulsive overeater" and everything changed. Ronni Robinson is a Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, author of Out of the Pantry: A Disordered Eating Journey, and someone who has been recovered from binge eating for 18 y...

Marriage is hard enough when it's just two people. But when in-laws, cultural expectations, and loyalty conflicts enter the picture, the pressure can feel unbearable. Many couples end up fighting each other—when the real problem is the outside pressure they were meant to face together. Pesa Shayo is an author and co-founder of Live Your Best Marriage. He helps cross-cultural Christian couples...

There was a time when newspapers were filled with critics—people whose job it was to help us understand what we were seeing, reading, and experiencing. Today, cultural criticism has largely been eliminated . What have we lost? Sean Mitchell is an award-winning journalist and cultural critic who served as the Dallas Times Herald's first rock critic and then its theatre critic, winning the prest...